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2003 Philadelphia mayoral election

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2003 Philadelphia mayoral election

← 1999 November 4, 2003 2007 →
Turnout50%[1] Increase 5 pp
 
Nominee John F. Street Sam Katz
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 267,230 189,357
Percentage 58.34% 41.34%

Results by ward
Street:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
Katz:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

Mayor before election

John F. Street
Democratic

Elected mayor

John F. Street
Democratic

The 2003 Philadelphia mayoral election was a contest between Democratic incumbent John F. Street and Republican businessman Sam Katz.

Pennsylvania governor and former mayor of Philadelphia Ed Rendell played a key role for Street by ensuring that business interests did not support Katz.[2]

The race was covered in the documentary film The Shame of a City. This was the last election prior to the 2019 election that saw a Republican nominee carry a ward, with Katz carrying several.

Democratic primary

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Candidates

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Declared

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Results

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Philadelphia Democratic mayoral primary, 2003
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John F. Street 93,799 99.59%
Write-in All others 387 0.41%
Turnout 94,186 100.00

Mayor John Street was unopposed for renomination by the Democratic Party.

Republican primary

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Candidates

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Declared

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  • Sam Katz, candidate for mayor in 1991 and 1999

Results

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Philadelphia Republican mayoral primary, 2003
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Sam Katz 18,973 99.93%
Write-in All others 14 0.07%
Turnout 18,987 100.00

Sam Katz was unopposed for the Republican nomination.

General election

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Polling

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Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size[a]
Margin
of error
John
Street (D)
Sam
Katz (R)
Other /
Undecided
SurveyUSA[3] October 30 – November 2, 2003 621 (CV) ± 4.0% 59% 37% 4%

Results

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Philadelphia mayoral election, 2003
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic John F. Street 267,230 58.34 Increase8.70
Republican Sam Katz 189,357 41.34 Decrease8.28
Socialist Workers John Staggs 1,291 0.28 Increase0.28
Majority
Turnout 457,878
Democratic hold Swing

Notes

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  1. ^ Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    CV – certain voters
    V – unclear
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References

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  1. ^ Denvir, Daniel (May 22, 2015). "Voter Turnout in U.S. Mayoral Elections Is Pathetic, But It Wasn't Always This Way". City Lab. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
  2. ^ "The PA Report "Power 75" List" (PDF). Pennsylvania Report. Capital Growth, Inc. January 31, 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 20, 2006. "Governor Rendell's squeezing business not to support Republican nominee, Sam Katz, will help"
  3. ^ SurveyUSA
Preceded by
1999
Philadelphia mayoral election
2003
Succeeded by
2007